Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, or any characters, plots, themes, ect., related to it. I do own my original characters and plots, so be kind, and don't take them.
This is my first fanfic, I hope you like it! Please R/R!
The Fire Nation Palace: Present Day
The girl stood in the passage, shaking with joy. Or was it rage? Fear, perhaps? She was as pale as alabaster, and she was dressed in black and red plaited armor, lined with gold. Her black hair was caught up in a golden band, leaving it falling down her shoulders in a jagged ponytail. She stood there, trembling, her heavy gold and crimson eye make-up smearing as tears of fire dripped down her face. Her yellow eyes gleamed beautifully with orange and gold, but they were deeply distressed.
"How long?" She suddenly cried, her voice resonating like a gunshot.
"What?" Prince Zuko asked, confused and annoyed.
"How long?" She repeated, shrieking now.
"Xania, I don't understand," he said, going to her, "But it's okay now, I'm here."
"No!" Xania screamed, slapping him away, fiercely. "You left me! You left me here, alone!" She screeched.
"What's wrong, Xania? What did I do?" Zuko asked, now truly perturbed, and concerned.
"You left me, unaided and alone, here without you. I don't want it that way." Now, thoroughly exhausted, she slumped to the ground, leaning on a golden pillar.
"Xania, I'm sorry . . ." was all Zuko could say.
The Fires Will Burn
An Avatar: The Last Airbender Fanfiction
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"Xania? Are you all right?" Zuko asked.
"No," she sighed, after a long pause. "But I can no longer hold my rage against you."
"You've always been a complicated girl." Zuko suddenly smiled.
"And you weren't always a banished prince," She grinned, coyly. "Welcome home, brother."
"Zuko?" A woman cried, running down the hall towards them. "Is it you?" Her long black hair fell down her back, and although she was obviously in her forties, her face still held glimpses of a fleeting beauty. Her heavy red and black garments trailed behind her as she ran.
"Mother?" Zuko gasped. There stood the Queen of the Fire Nation, Ozanna. Her eyes, too, were streaming fiery tears, but these ones were obviously of joy, not rage.
"Oh, Zuko! You've come home!" Ozanna cried. Her overwhelming words and joyful screams aroused three more figures from Zuko's past: Saila, Kuem, and Areen, his cousins. These three shared pasty white skin and amber eyes. Their raven-black hair was smooth and shiny, Saila's falling to her waist, and Kuem's and Areen's cropped shot.
"Zuko!" Kuem called, happily thumping him on the back. Areen came next, shaking Zuko's hand a bit awkwardly. The only one who lagged behind was Saila, a sorrowful look in her wide, tawny eyes.
"Does he know you've returned?" she asked quietly. The happy family reunion was suddenly ceased. Xania shrunk back in fear, Kuem gasped as his eyes opened wide, and Areen held a hand over his mouth, frozen. Only Ozanna retained her composure. She walked over to Zuko.
"My son," she said, eyes still full of happy tears. "I am sure your father will want to see you."
But no one in the room could actually believe that Fire Lord Ozai would welcome the son he had shamed and banished nearly three years ago.
The Fire Nation Palace: Five Years EarlierAn eleven-year-old Zuko awoke, happy and content. He looked about his large room. Gold, red and black: the colors of fire, the colors of the nation he would one day rule, were the only ones to be seen. Zuko bounded out of the room, and straight to the women's rooms. He rapped his hand upon the heavy ebony door.
"Come in!" Called a chirpy voice. Zuko walked into Princess Xania's rooms. She sat near a ruby encrusted vanity table, her think hair being arranged atop her head like a crown by a waiting maid.
"Happy Birthday, Xani!" Zuko said, using her pet name. He held out a small parcel. After tearing apart the thick cloth rapping, Xania found a velvet-lined box. Upon opening it, she came across a ruby and grey pearl ring.
"Wow Zuko, it's gorgeous!" Xania cried merrily. She placed it upon her finger, and enjoyed the shine it created, filtered through the sun coming into the room through the large, open windows.
Saila then walked in.
"Happy Eight Birthday!" she called. She led Zuko and Xania down the halls to the banquet room, where Xania ate a seemingly sugarcoated breakfast. She squealed in delight every time she was handed a present. There were three from the ten-year-old triplets, Saila, Kuem, and Areen, one from Flame Mistress Ozanna, and many more from various relatives, friends, and subjects eager to show allegiance to the Fire Nation's youngest princess. But there was no gift from Xania's father, Lord Ozai.
A messenger then walked in, a whispered something in Ozanna's ear. She walked over and said, "Xania, your father wants you in the throne room. He would like to give you your gift."
The smile immediately vanished from Xania's face. She looked paler than usual now, all traces of color having been drained from her features.
"Xani, don't go," Areen whispered harshly.
"You don't have to." Saila murmured.
"Xania?" Zuko, asked, concerned, for the princess seemed to have frozen. But she gathered her courage.
"I want my gift." She slyly whispered to Zuko as she exited the room with the messenger.
"She's smart, she won't do anything to anger him." Zuko reassured himself out loud.
"But when has he ever waited for a reason?" Kuem worried.
"She'll be alright." Zuko said in an almost too loud voice.
Xania walked into the throne room timidly. There stood Ozai, his eyes flaming, ignited flames rushing forth from his hands. Xania couldn't help gasping he was such a sight.
"Ah, Princess Xania," said Ozai suddenly, putting out the flames. He never used her pet name, 'Xani,' or even just plain, 'Xania.'
"Yes, sir?" she asked, daring to move closer. He nodded to a man in the room, who left.
"So, you are now eight years old," he mused. Then, he grabbed a small golden ball from behind him. He shot a tower of flame around it, blazing five feet in the air, the red flame turning an inferno-blue at parts. "Now," he said, "retrieve your present."
Xania halted for a moment. Then, she plunged her hand into the towering mass of flame. At first the fire burned so intensely it was all Xania could do to keep from screaming. Then, she willed the fire with all her might to move away from the golden ball; to scatter and fuse with the air. She willed, and suddenly, it moved. Away from the ball, it flew, scattered, and then ceased to exist. The ball fell into Xania's hand, which wasn't burnt.
"Very good," mumbled Ozai, "you may take your gift, and then leave."
Xania bowed and backed out of the room. Once she was outside, she bolted back to the banquet hall, gasping for breath.
Lord Ozai had tested her, and she had passed.